The main health system in the Lynchburg area says it’s starting to see some improvement in the number of COVID-19 cases there. But it’s also seen a significant number of deaths this month.
Officials with Centra Health said there were 40 COVID-positive patients at Lynchburg General Hospital as of Wednesday morning.
Doctor Chris Lewis says that’s still a big number for the facility. "However, the trajectory, the rise of the number of COVID-positive patients at least for the moment, for the last several days, has leveled off somewhat."
Lewis says that’s important because the rise in cases in earlier weeks could have strained Centra’s resources. The current tally of 40 COVID-19 patients is actually higher than two weeks ago. There were 34 COVID-positive patients on July 29th. The hospital's current number of ten patients in the Intensive Care Unit, though, is down from 14. Lewis said because the ICU number has dropped, Centra has been able to release some ICU resources to other non-COVID patients.
Lewis said 13 COVID-19 patients at Centra's hospitals in Lynchburg and Farmville have died since the beginning of August. Last month, Lewis and other hospital officials predicted an increase in deaths would likely follow increases in cases and hospitalizations.
Lewis and Centra CEO Andy Mueller said they have been advising regional school systems about health matters related to their reopening plans. Mueller said he's hopeful that the area won't see an increase in cases where schools reopen, but the health system is planning for an increase, just in case. "The truth is we don't know what the impact is going to be," Mueller added.
COVID is going to be here
Health care providers and hospitals are still learning how to operate with coronavirus active in the community. For Centra Health facilities in the Lynchburg area, that means beginning to allow some visitors.
Late last week, Centra began allowing one adult visitor for most hospital patients. Doctor Chris Lewis says visitors will have to wear a mask and can only go to the patient’s room. "We know that COVID is going to be here for a while, and so we still need to have visitation at some point and we think we can do it safely," Lewis told reporters Wednesday.
Lewis said if case numbers rise in the community or if visitors bring the virus into the hospital, they’ll cut off visitation again.
Centra is still restricting visitors at its skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.
